Food Poisoning and Food Infection 293 



own person and the utensils and equipment employed in the 

 preparation of food. 



2. No person known to be a carrier of enteric pathogens should be 

 permitted to prepare food for others. 



3. No person should be allowed to handle food when he has 

 any draining infection, whether it be on his hands or on other 

 parts of his body. During periods when he is suffering from 

 an upper respiratory infection, he should be kept away from 

 places where food is being prepared for others. 



4. Foods should not be allowed to stand at warm temperatures for 

 extended period of time before use if they are the types of 

 foods in which rapid bacterial multiplication can occur. 



5. Foods should be adequately refrigerated, preferably at a tem- 

 perature near 40° F. 



6. If foods like potato salad must be stored for any period of 

 time before being served, distribute them in shallow layers 

 ( two or three inches deep ) to allow rapid chilling of the entire 

 mass. 



7. Protect all foods from insects and yermin. 



8. Ayoid cream-filled pastries and custards in public eating 

 establishments during the warm months of the year. 



9. Do not attempt to home-can protein foods, especially non-acid 

 types, unless the product is subjected to processing with steam 

 under pressure. 



10. Neyer taste canned foods that haye an "off odor" unless they 

 are first boiled for at least ten minutes. Food that is obviously 

 spoiled should not be eaten even after cooking, because 

 thermostable toxins may withstand the cooking and when in- 

 gested may cause severe gastro-intestinal disturbances. 



11. Do not cook foods in cheap enamelware that is chipped. 



12. Wash all fresh fruits before eating. 



If a detailed list of all precautions were to be tabulated, there 

 are undoubtedly other warnings that might be mentioned. But 

 if persons would follow the twelve rules above, a great deal of 

 human suffering could be avoided. 



